True of false: True
The 49ers kept their playoff hopes alive with a Week 6 win over the Los Angeles Rams. After getting walloped by the Miami Dolphins in Week 5, Kyle Shanahan threw the kitchen sink at the Rams knowing that falling to 2-4 would almost certainly bury the 49ers' "Revenge Tour."
Good offensive line play, a power rushing attack and short, quick passes from Jimmy Garoppolo allowed the 49ers to dice up the Rams and get back to .500.
Now, the 49ers will travel to New England to face the Patriots before going to Seattle to face the undefeated Seahawks.
These next two games, and whether or not the 49ers are able to survive them with their heads still above water, will define the 49ers' season.
The Patriots are banged up on the offensive line and have very few weapons to attack a hobbled 49ers defense with. If they are able to keep Cam Newton from beating them with his legs, the 49ers should be able to leave Foxboro with a win and get back above .500 for the first time since Week 3.
A win at Gillette Stadium will give the 49ers some room for error against the Seahawks and the No. 1 ranked passing offense by DVOA. The 49ers' secondary is banged up, and while the unit is getting healthier, Russell Wilson and Co. don't present a good matchup for them at the moment.
If the 49ers can't knock off a wobbly Patriots team this Sunday, that makes the Week 8 game in Seattle a must-win. Falling to 3-5 in the packed NFC is almost certainly a playoff death sentence, especially with the Packers, Saints, Rams and Bills following on the schedule.
Put plain and simple: If the 49ers want to keep their heartbeat going, getting out of these next two games at 1-1 is critical. The ship has a few holes in the hull and can't withstand back-to-back losses.